Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents

83 Pages·2013·3.82 MB·English

Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
Job Description Program Director..................................................1 - 2
Job Description Feeder.........................................................................3
Volunteer Agreement...........................................................................4
Volunteer Daily Care Sheet.................................................................5
Minimum Feeding Requirements for Kittens......................................6
How to Age Kittens.............................................................................7
Medical Chart.......................................................................................8
Fading Kitten Protocol.........................................................................9
Bottle Baby Training Worksheet................................................10 - 26
Bottle Baby Nursery Organization Chart...........................................27
Neonatal Program - Standard Operating Procedures..................28 - 77
Bottle Baby Foster Feeding & Care Guidelines.................................78
Bottle Baby Foster Training Recieved...............................................79
Foster Team Descriptions............................................................80 - 81
Foster - Neonatal Food Recomendations............................................82
Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
Job Description Program Manager
Purpose: To oversee all administrative, operational and reporting functions of the Neonatal Program,
which provides basic care and medical attention to orphan kittens, pregnant and nursing cats and their
litters that are rescued each year from a five county region, primarily Travis County and the Austin Animal
Center, achieving the highest possible survival rate until they are adoptable and able to transfer to the Cat
Program; thereby assuring Austin Pets Alive (APA!) can help Austin reach and sustain a No-Kill
referendum.
The intake of the Neonatal Program has grown to over 2,000 kittens as of the 2012 season, and is
expected to maintain or exceed that number for the foreseeable future. Kittens range in age from
newborn to six weeks, but can remain in the program much longer depending on the status of their
health; mother cats remain in the program until they are healthy, no longer lactating, and can be spayed
and transferred to the Cat Program. Peak season, which can last 6-7 months, sees the highest intakes
with as many as 40-50 kittens per week and an in-house population of 60+ kittens, most of which need
medical attention and all of which need a consistent feeding schedule of every 2-4 hours, assuring
adherence to mandated procedures. In order to manage both the onsite and offsite populations, paying
special attention to the specific needs of such young, fragile kittens, the Neonatal Program Manager must
perform the following activities:
 Work with APA! leadership and the APA! medical team to establish and enforce program policies
and standard operating procedures
 Work with the APA! medical team to establish and enforce protocols for the general care and
medical treatment of the kittens in accordance with veterinary standards
 Provide individualized care and attention to the critical kittens
 Work with the APA! medical team to establish and enforce adherence to sanitation protocols for
general operations and for containment and prevention of contagion
 Supervise a separate quarantine ward for highly infectious diseases, such as panleukopenia
 Supervise the daily operations and management of the nursery, which includes but is not limited
to: feeding kittens; medical treatments for the kittens; supply management; staff management;
ensure all kittens and cats entering the program have been tested for FeLV and/or FIV;
disposition of deceased kittens
 Work with APA! leadership to create an operating budget and operate within it; solicit financial
and in-kind donations as needed
 Build team of feeders, primarily volunteers, to be in the nursery 20 hours per day during peak
season to provide adequate care for kittens; monitor team morale
 Create and supervise teams within the program such as: Kitten Foster; Pregnant and Nursing Cat
Foster; Fund-Raising; Volunteer Recruitment and Training; Rescue Manager
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
 Perform all administrative and reporting duties, including but not limited to: Pet Point entries for
each kitten and cat; medical and feeding charts for each kitten and cat; EOD reporting; weekly
accountability of kittens and cats in program
 Work with PASS Manager to accept cats and kittens from the public
 Work with Rescue Manager to accept and transport all kittens and cats to the program; must give
final approval for all kittens accepted or declined
 Work with Kitten Foster Manager to stay informed of whereabouts of all kittens in foster, can be
as many as 1,000+ cats and kittens in foster at any time; must maintain all administrative records
for kittens and cats in foster; mentor fosters and foster team members
 Responds to written and phone inquiries from other shelters and rescue groups across the nation
about starting a neonatal program
 Speak at the America Pets Alive! Conference, and other such conferences, to engender interest
in and support for neonatal programs
 Responds to the general public about caring for neonates.
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
Job Description Feeder
Purpose: To feed and provide basic care for orphan kittens ranging in age from birth to six
weeks that are rescued by APA and brought to the Neonatal Ward to be raised to the age of
adoption; to feed and provide basic care for pregnant cats and nursing cats with their litters
until they can be moved to a foster home or to an adoption site.
All feeders must follow established policies and procedures at all times and must be able to
work calmly and efficiently when the nursery is at full capacity. Feeders are responsible for the
following and other duties as assigned:
 Fulfill a minimum of one 2-hour shift per week on a recurring basis
 Feed kittens and cats according to feeding procedures and sanitation protocols
 Make accurate notes on kittens’ daily care sheets and feeding board
 Alert the Nursery Manager or Operations Assistant of any health issues needing
attention
 Clean kittens’ crates, including but not limited to litter boxes, as needed according to
protocol
 Move supplies and food from the storage room to the nursery as needed
 Maintain sanitation in the nursery according to established protocols
 Wash dishes and laundry as needed
 Empty trash and recycling containers as needed
Feeders must be able to:
 Lift and carry 20 pounds
 Use food and supplies responsibly
 Bend and stoop to tend to kittens in bottom crates
 Climb a step ladder to reach kittens in upper crates
 Be emotionally able to care for fading kittens and those that pass
 Work well with others
 Follow the established chain-of-command to solve problems if/when they arise
Feeders work under the supervision of the Neonatal Program Manager and the Operations
Assistant. Volunteer feeders must sign a Volunteer Agreement in order to work in the nursery.
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
Neonatal Program Volunteer Agreement
Caring for neonatal kittens is a delicate task as baby kittens are extremely vulnerable and can easily
contract disease and quickly decline in a nursery setting. As such, APA! has very strict requirements to
ensure that the care these fragile creatures receive is of the highest possible standards. The APA!
Neonatal Program could not exist without the dedication of its volunteers, at the same time staff and
volunteers both must follow the strict requirements listed below to ensure that the Neonatal Program
successfully fulfills its mission to save as many kittens as possible each season.
By my initials and signature below, I acknowledge and agree with the following reasons for termination.
I understand that if I do not comply with the protocols, I will be given a written warning. After my first
warning, the Neonatal Program Manager has the right to remove my volunteer privileges. If terminated,
I will be removed from any Neonatal Program communication groups and will not be allowed to enter
the nursery.
___ Initial here that you have read and comply with the Neonatal Program Volunteer Job Description.
Actions that can result in Neonatal Program termination:
 Failure to follow volunteer job description during shift
 Failure to follow proper sanitation and feeding protocols set by the Neonatal Program
 Administering medications to kittens without authorization from Neonatal Program Manager
 Untruthful charting and reporting information about kittens
 Failure to attend a scheduled shift without prior notification
 Negativity directed towards another APA! volunteer and/or staff member
 Conveying private information about kittens/protocols to the public and/or press
 Representing the Neonatal Program or APA! as a whole in a negative way
I understand that:
 No one from the public is allowed inside the neonatal ward
 Family and/or friends are not allowed inside the neonatal ward without prior permission from
the Neonatal Program Manager
 If I do not follow proper protocols then I risk exposing myself to zoonotic conditions such as
ringworm, and exposing my pets to contagion
 Any complaints or suggestions must be submitted through the established communication
channels
 No animals will enter or leave the nursery without prior permission from APA staff
Volunteer Name (please print): _____________________________________________
Volunteer Signature: __________________________________________
Date: ____________
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
Daily Care Sheet
Name ___________________________ Description______________________________________________________ Sex______
A#____________________ Admin date____________________ Age___________ Admin Weight__________________
Date Time Weight b4 Type of Food Amount Weight Stim? Output Init Notes/Medicines given
food Taken aft food Y N  U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
 U F Abn
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
Minimum Feeding Requirements for
Kittens Based on Weight
(5 grams per 100 grams)
Weight of Kitten Before Weight of Kitten After
Feeding Feeding
60 grams 63 grams
80 grams 84 grams
100 grams 105 grams
120 grams 126 grams
140 grams 147 grams
160 grams 168 grams
180 grams 189 grams
200 grams 210 grams
220 grams 231 grams
240 grams 252 grams
260 grams 273 grams
280 grams 294 grams
300 grams 315 grams
320 grams 336 grams
340 grams 357 grams
360 grams 378 grams
380 grams 389 grams
400 grams 420 grams
420 grams 441 grams
440 grams 462 grams
460 grams 483 grams
480 grams 504 grams
500 grams 525 grams
520 grams 546 grams
540 grams 567 grams
560 grams 588 grams
580 grams 609 grams
600 grams 630 grams
620 grams 651 grams
640 grams 672 grams
660 grams 693 grams
680 grams 714 grams
700 grams 735 grams
720 grams 756 grams
740 grams 777 grams
760 grams 798 grams
780 grams 819 grams
800 grams 840 grams
Weigh—Feed—Weigh
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
How to Age Neonatal Kittens
Kitten Age Characteristics
Less than 3 days old Eyes completely closed and wet umbilical cord still attached
Less than 5 days old Eyes completely closed and dry umbilical cord still attached
Less than 7 days old Eyes completely closed
Between 7 and 10 Eyes mostly closed or beginning to open, no umbilical cord
days old attached
2-3 weeks old Eyes completely open, no umbilical cord, “rounded” ear
shape, no incisors
3 ½ -4 ½ weeks old Eyes completely open, no umbilical cord, “pointed” ear shape,
small incisors not all the way through
5-6 weeks old Eyes completely open, no umbilical cord, “pointed” ear shape,
incisors all the way through, weigh about 1 ½ lbs
How to Age Neonatal Kittens
Kitten Age Characteristics
Less than 3 days old Eyes completely closed and wet umbilical cord still attached
Less than 5 days old Eyes completely closed and dry umbilical cord still attached
Less than 7 days old Eyes completely closed
Between 7 and 10 Eyes mostly closed or beginning to open, no umbilical cord
days old attached
2-3 weeks old Eyes completely open, no umbilical cord, “rounded” ear
shape, no incisors
3 ½ -4 ½ weeks old Eyes completely open, no umbilical cord, “pointed” ear shape,
small incisors not all the way through
5-6 weeks old Eyes completely open, no umbilical cord, “pointed” ear shape,
incisors all the way through, weigh about 1 ½ lbs
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents
Date: Medical Chart Kitten/Litter:
***Medical Chart is for the use of Nursery Manager/APA! medical team only. Feeders are not
authorized to administer medications.***
FVRCP Vaccine Dewormer
Vaccine Date Received? Dewormer Date Received?
1st 1st
2nd 2nd
3rd 3rd
4th 4th
Treatments:
Kitten(s):______________________________
Medication:___________________________________
Treatment for:_______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Date:
AM
PM
Kitten(s):______________________________
Medication:___________________________________
Treatment for:_______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Date:
AM
PM
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Austin Pets Alive! Resource Documents Fading Kitten Protocol
Fading Kitten Syndrome is a life threatening emergency in which a kitten, sometime one that was previously healthy, “crashes”
and begins to fade away. If not dealt with immediately, it can result in death.
Symptoms:
- Low Body Temperature – the kitten feels cool or cold to the touch
- Extreme Lethargy - not getting up, unable to stand, not responding when pet
- Gasping for breath
- Meowing/Crying out
It is caused by 2 things:
Hypothermia (being too cold) and Hypoglycemia (not enough blood sugar).
When this happens, it is vital that you take these immediate steps!
Step 1- Get them warm:
- Create the “burrito” towel. Immediately wrap the kitten up in a towel like a burrito leaving their face
exposed only. Their whole body, tail, ears, and paws should be in the towel, only nose and mouth exposed.
Do not take the kitten out of the towel to adjust them, check on them, etc. - this is very important! Every time
you take them out you will make them cold again, even if it is only for a second.
- Wrap a HEATING PAD turned onto *low* around the burrito towel (to avoid burns) as an EXTRA
source of heat. Secure it around the towel so it stays in place
Step 2- Get their blood sugar up:
Once you get the heat on them,
- Get a bowel or Tupperware and a few tablespoons sugar in hot water.
- Stir it up so you get a sugar water solution - as strong as possible while still pretty runny.
- Using a syringe or your finger give 3 drops every 3 minutes into the mouth.
- If they aren’t swallowing, try not to get it down the throat, try to get it on the tongue or gums.
- Set an egg timer or use the stop watch on your cell phone to make sure you are doing it at least
every 3 minutes. Every 5 minutes or 10 minutes will not work, it must be every 3 minutes.
Step 3 - Call an APA medical technician:
- At 512-552-2042. Keep kitten with you and continue sugar every 3 minutes. They won’t have any
extra advice for you that isn‘t in this handout, but they will need to be made aware of what is going
on.
Sometimes it can take hours for them to come out of it. Once they do come out of it, make sure you contact
Casandra and the Med Techs.
Keep in mind, even with all the love and attention and perfect treatment of this condition, some of them still won’t make it. Try
not to blame yourself during this difficult time and focus on all the kittens you have personally saved by volunteering in the
Nursery. Any kitten you’ve ever taken care of was given a second chance at life BECAUSE of YOU! The Survival Rate with our
care FAR surpasses their survival rate in Nature.
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